£32m plan to boost Liverpool freight routes moves forward

A £32m project to enhance a major route in Liverpool and bring the city council’s North Liverpool Key Corridors scheme to fruition is set to take a step forward.

A new report put before the cabinet will recommend that the authority reserves the right to compulsorily purchase (CPO) land required for its Key Corridors project, which could boost freight routes in Liverpool by linking the city centre with Sefton.

The scheme, set to be delivered across three phases over the next three years, will be funded with £21.8m from the Department for Transport, £8.5m from Liverpool City Council and £2m from Sefton Council.

It calls for the completion of dual carriageway and the replacement of an old bridge on the A565, in addition to improvements to Regent Road to make it better for cyclists and pedestrians.

Phase one of the multi-million pound plan is set to begin this May with the replacement of the Great Howard Street bridge, where a three-ton limit has been imposed due to structural weaknesses.

Liverpool council’s cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, said: “This scheme is absolutely essential if we are to keep the city moving and make it an attractive place to come and do business.

“We need to invest in our infrastructure so we are able to handle the increasing amount of businesses, freight and people travelling to and through Liverpool.”

He continued: “This is especially important on this route due to the completion of the new Liverpool 2 deep water port which is absolutely critical to the future economic success of the city region and will help create and support many jobs.”

“We are in positive discussions with landowners along the route and hope to be able to reach agreement on relocation with them without resorting to a CPO.”

The land being targeted by the CPO is chiefly occupied by businesses located on Derby Road and Great Howard Street.

Sefton Council’s cabinet member for locality services, Cllr John Fairclough, commented: “This is just the start of a very exciting project which will enhance the main route into Liverpool from south Sefton.

“This stretch of road is extremely busy and by making it all dual carriageway, it will enable greater access in and out of Sefton for all vehicles.”

He added: “Discussions are underway with the landowners in Sefton and throughout the whole process we will be working closely with Liverpool City Council to make this project a big success.”